Craig David learning to ‘enjoy relationships’ after focusing on career: ‘I’ve just become more playful’

Craig mingled with the stars at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball (Picture: PA)

Craig David has well and truly earned the right to prioritise his personal relationships after decades of entertaining us with hits.

The 7 Days singer explained that he’s now learning to be less of a perfectionist so that he can enjoy the fruits of his labour.

Speaking to Metro.co.uk at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball with Barclaycard, Craig said: ‘The one thing that I would say, if I was to take away from my whole career, that I am doing now, is that I’ve just become more playful. I’ve actually become that same playful trade that was making that first album.

‘I’m a perfectionist at the best of times, but to simplify my life and to enjoy the relationships, enjoy the friendships, enjoy the people in my life because those are the things that you remember over a period of time, and I do music. Music is in my heart, like, that’s what I do. So, I don’t think of that as, “Oh, when are you gonna? How long are you gonna do music for?” I do this.’

He continued: ‘I’ll do it in whatever way I can for my career, but friendships and relationships are everything. So long may that continue. I want to take in tonight and be like, “Wow”. Talk about that when I sit down with my mum at Christmas and be like, “Well, you played 60,000 people, you’ve got a TV show, Walk the Line, on tonight – it’s crazy.’

The 40-year-old is a judge on Simon Cowell’s new ITV singing competition Walk The Line, where contestants are keeping for £500,000.

He shared the stage with KSI (Picture: PA)

Craig’s latest single, Who You Are, sees him team up with MNEK for an uplifting number, which is set to appear on Craig’s upcoming album 22.

‘You know what, I’ve got so much love for MNEK, we’ve been working together for – sort of at arm’s length and on records, really,’ the singer said.

‘Like KSI I really love him, he wrote the hook on that song, but we weren’t in the studio together. No Drama – he was involved in writing that with me with James Hike, but we weren’t in the studio together.’

He continued: ‘Finally, when we got in and actually did the first run really together, it just connected. Like the melody came out for Who You Are. I just felt it came from a higher source. I said to him, “I don’t know if you’re thinking someone else is gonna sing this” – because he tends to do that – so I said, “I can’t put this record out without you being on it. Like, your voice, it’s the inspiration” – and MNEK gracefully said yeah, he’d be on it.

‘I think the meaning of it, it’s landing, it feels like people are feeling that they can put their heart on their sleeves, and be who they are against all of the restrictions, all of those things that we get confronted with; that people can feel that this song articulates that for people who can’t, or for the people who want to feel empowered who you are already doing it. They can say: “That’s my powerful song, that’s my Destiny’s Child I’m A Survivor tune. It’s that.’

When asked who he’s keen to collaborate with, Craig teased: ‘We’ve got so much talent in this country, and in the States whenever I’m over there, and you hook up with someone who’s having their moment.

‘I do like the people who are on the come up, I do like that feeling of where someone’s about to blow and you’re working with them and then they go off to do four nights at O2 Arena and you can just be there and feel like you played some part in it – that, I love that.’

Naturally, being we were chatting at the Jingle Bell Ball, Craig was in the festive spirit and revealed his favourite Christmas tune.

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‘I mean, it would be, it’s a tight one between obviously Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas, but George Michael, just that guy’s voice. I mean, both of them,’ he said.

‘I mean they’re so prolific, right? George Michael, when I go back in and listen to that song. And then I go into all of the other songs he’s done. And one classic is Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, from anyone who sings that. That’s my tune for Christmas.’

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